"Why you want to be a taikonaut?" "Did you miss your families?"
"Is there anything you want to improve after the mission of
Shenzhou VI?" ...
The members of Delegation of Shenzhou VI?Manned Space
Mission were asked one question after another when they met Hong
Kong students from middle and primary schools Tuesday
afternoon.
Tuesday is the third day of the delegation's visit to Hong Kong
after the Chinese taikonauts successfully accomplished their second
space mission in October.
The space industry of China has made another big progress by
sending two more taikonauts, Fei Junlong and Nie Haisheng, in the
space for five days since Yang Liwei, the first Chinese taikonaut
was sent to the space two years ago.
Meeting with Hong Kong students is an important part of the
delegation's schedule because the big progress in China's space
industry has set off a whirl of space science among young people in
Hong Kong.
Nie and Fei were greeted with enthusiasm when they appeared on
the stage of the Elizabeth Stadium. Thousands of students from
almost 400 middle and primary schools were eager to have their
questions answered by the two taikonauts.
"There are many other careers, why do you want to be an
astronaut?" "Are you going to improve Shenzhou VII?after the
mission of Shenzhou VI?" "Do you plan to explore the moon?" The
students asked questions one after another.
"Have you seen the Great Wall when you were in the space?" a
small girl from a middle school asked, curiously.
"Unfortunately, I haven't seen it during my five days in the
space. But I did see the beautiful coastline of our motherland and
the island of Taiwan," Fei said.
Many students said they are proud of their motherland because
China has become one of the few countries which have the ability to
send astronauts in the space. And some of them were eager to know
how to prepare themselves for taking part in the space industry in
the future.
"If we want to be in the space industry in future, how can we
prepare ourselves?" a middle school boy asked.
"Make full use of your time in the school to learn more
knowledge. Try to keep good health by doing more physical exercises
and have a clear target. If you keep striving for that, I believe
you could finally realize your dream," Nie said.
After the meeting, the students said although the space heroes
could not answer all their questions during such a short period of
time, their answers have encouraged them to believe that one day
their space dream will become true.
(Xinhua News Agency November 30, 2005)